Illegal fishermen in Sussex face jail sentence
People who take part in illegal fishing are being warned they risk arrest.
This month staff from the Environment Agency will be patrolling rivers across Sussex to prevent the illegal fishing of elver or glass eels – the names given to young European eels.
There has been great concern about the level of eel stocks in the UK and Europe which have declined as a result of changes in the Gulf Stream, pollution, barriers to fresh water migration and over-fishing. Since 2005 it has been illegal to fish for them.
The European eel is an economically and ecologically important species for our rivers and it is also an important food source for otters and bittern.
Anyone found fishing illegally could get up to two years in prison and an unlimited fine.
Anyone who sees illegal fishing should call the Environment Agency 24-hour incident line on 0800 80 70 60.
The full article contains 157 words and appears in OS-Chichester Observer newspaper.
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Last Updated:
07 May 2008 2:10 PM
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Source:
OS-Chichester Observer
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Location:
Chichester
